Adapter for typewriters



Filed Oct. 14, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 flew): ,Zazzz's' Jensen. $1 0 Feb. 22, 1938'. JENSEN ADAPTER FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Oct. 14, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet lllll LII III II Patented Feb. 22, 1938 PATENT OFFICE ADAPTER FOR TYPEWRITERS Louis Jensen, Chicago, Ill., assignor to United Autographio Register 00., a corporation of Illinois Application October 14, 1937, Serial No. $9,017

6 Claims.

This invention relates to adapters for typewriters to facilitate the use of continuous-form stationery, and more particularly to an improved typewriter attachment having an extensible frame upon which a carbon-holder may be adjustably mounted.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, light attachment which may be attached to the platen carriage of a typewriter so as to move therewith and support continuous-form stationery led over the device to writing position in the machine.

A further object of the invention is to adjustably mount a carbon-holder on the extension frame so that the position of carbon sheets anchored to said holder may be changed as the carbons become worn. That is, the holder may be moved forward on the extension frame and the worn front edge portions of the carbon may be. severed and discarded.

The present invention is an improvement over the device shown in my Patent No. 2,000,641, issued May 7, 1935.

The invention is illustrated in the preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device showing how it is mounted on the rear of a typewriter, the typewriter being shown brokenly; Fig. 2, a broken plan view of the device; and Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional view, taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment illustrated, A designates a supporting frame; B, an extension frame slidably mounted for forward and rearward movement on the frame A; and C, the carbon-holder adjustably mounted on the frame B.

As shown in Fig. 1, a bracket 4 has its front end fixed to the main frame 5 of a typewriting machine bymeans of screws 6. A channel-like track 1 is fixed to the rear ends of the bracket 4 so as to provide a rigid support for the adapter. The typewriting machine is shown with the usual shiftable c rriage 8 in which is journaled a platen roll 9. The rear of the carriage is provided with a cross rod l which serves as a support for the front end of the adapter, as will be explained below.

The supporting frame A is shown with a longitudinally extending plate I I provided with a longitudinal slot l2. A pair of forwardly and downwardly extending brackets I3 are fixed to the plate II by means of rivets I4 and their lower end portions are bifurcated, as indicated at ii, to provide a socket to receive the cross rod l0 of the platen carriage. Upwardly swinging latch bars it are pivotally mounted on the brackets I3, as indicated at H. The latches are urged upwardly by tension springs l8 so as to firmly grip rod l0. To the front end of the supporting plate II is fixed a transversely disposed guide bar H! by means of screws 20. A pair of L-shaped upwardly presented guide members 2| are adjustably secured to the cross bar by meansof a pinand-slot connection 22. The purpose of these guide members is to direct the stationery to the platen roll in proper transverse alignment.

A pair of longitudinally extending angle bars 23 are spot welded to the lower side of the supporting plate A to reinforce the plate and form an open channel under the slot l2. A sheet metal housing 24 encloses the rear end of the channel thus formed and forms a closure for a grooved pulley wheel 25 which is pivotally mounted therein, as indicated at 26. The rear end of the frame is provided with a downwardly extending bracket 21 on which is anti-frictionally mounted a roller 28 adapted to travel in the channel-like track I and support the attachment. A rearwardly extending channel-like track 29 is fixed to the lower portion of the housing 24 and serves to support the rear end portion of the extension carriage B.

As best shown in Fig. 3, a latching bar 30 is pivotally mounted, as indicated at 3|, in the channel provided beneath the slot l2. The latching ,bar comprises a pair of spaced longitudinally extending strips which are connected at their rear end by a cross bar 32 which is adapted to be engaged by a hook provided on the extension carriage, and their front ends extend forward slightly beyond the supporting frame I l and are secured to a cross member 33 by means of screws 34. The member 33 is adapted to extend slightly above the upper face of the supporting plate ll so that it may be depressed by stationery drawn around the platen and thereby raise the cross bar 32 to release the extension carriage for forward movement. I

As shown in Fig. 1, the housing 24 has a cutaway portion 35 and one of the angle bars 23 has a cut-out 36 through which a pin 31 projects from the latching bar 30. A torsion spring 38 yieldingly urges the pin 31 downwardly and thereby urges the member 33 upwardly into engagement with continuous-form stationery 39 which is led from a zigzag folded pack 40 over the device to writing position in front of the platen roll 9. A slight pressure on the member 33 is sufficient to release the extension carriage B for forward movement, as will be readily under- The extension carriage B comprises a rectangular frame formed by two longitudinal members ll which are rigidly connected at their rear ends by a transversely disposed guide member 42 and at their front ends by means of a transverse plate' It. The lower side of the plate 45 is provided with two pairs of grooved wheels 45 adapted to engage-the edge portions of the supporting plate and facilitate sliding ,movement" thereon. As shown in Fig. 1, a roller 45 is antifrictionally Journaled between a pair of downwardly extending fingers 46 which are secured to the guide member 42 and loosely embrace the the front end of the: supporting frame by screw- 50 and is threaded rearwardly around the grooved wheel 25 and secured to the hook member 41 by means of a screw 5|. Thus it will be understood that the slight tension provided by the long spring 49 urges the extension frame B to its rearmost position where it will be locked against forward movement by the latch 30 and hook I.

The carbon-holder C comprises a transverse plate 52 having a pair of downwardly extending studs 53 which are adapted to project through any transverse pair of apertures 54 which are arranged in a longitudinal series along the members ll of the extension frame. The weight of the device is sufiicient to hold the holder in its adjustable position with respect to the extension frame. The rear end of the plate 52 is bent around, as indicated at 52', to provide a smooth edge portion. The carbon-holder has upwardly extending studs 55 for loosely impaling blades 56 to which are attached the rear edge portions of the carbon slips as in my Patent No. ,000,641. Upward movement of the blades is limited by a pivoted ball 51, in the well known manner. A pair of guide fingers 58 are adiustably mounted in slots 59 to keep the stationery in lateral alignment.

The extreme rear end portion of the channel '29 is provided with a bracket 60 which holds a bar 6i provided with adjustable guide fingers 62 and a pair of guide rollers 63.

In using the device, the transverse channel I is normally left attached to the machine. To remove the adapter, as may be done overnight or when ordinary single sheets are being typed in the typewriter, it is only necessary to pull the latches I6 downwardly and the adapter can be lifted off of the machine.

The device is adapted to use fanfold stationery wherein the strips, in the pack 40, are connected to each other at one lateral edge. To load the machine the pack of forms 40 should be placed about a foot in rear of the adapter and three or four lengths of forms unfolded and laid over the top of the adapter and typewriter. The carbon strips have their rear edge portion folded over the blades 60 and may be attached thereto by a small paper clip. The first carbon blade is then placed over the lowest strip with the finger between the forms and the next strip is turned thereover. This processis repeated from side to side until carbon is interleaved between each of the strips. The first set of forms can then be inserted beneath the platen and advanced to regular writing position.

After -a set of forms has been filled in, the typewriter carriage is moved to the center of the machine and the ends of the strips are backed out from under the platen roller. The extension frame with the. carbon-holder will then move back to the original starting position and will .automatically become locked in its rearmost position. The front set of forms may then be grasped and drawn forward over the top of the typewriter while the carbon head will hold the carbon slips and prevent them from being drawn forward with the forms. Preferably, the succeeding set of forms is advanced until its front edge is one inch beyond the carbon paper and then the completed set may be detached along the line of weakening provided between sets of forms. When the next set of forms is advanced into writing position, the stationery will pull down against the member 33 and release the extension carriage so that the carbon-holder may roll forwardly as the advanced set of forms advances around the platen.

As the ends of the carbon sheets become worn they can be torn off a small portion .at a time, and finally, the last remaining unused portion can be turned around and secured to the blade 56, thus using the full sheet.

If desired two or more carbon-holders can be supplied, for instance, where forms of different lengths are to be used in the same typewriter.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim: v

1. A typewriter attachment comprising: a supporting frame adapted to be secured to the rear of a platen carriage; an extension frame slidably mounted for limited forward and rearward movement on said supporting frame; a releasable catch for locking the extension frame in its rearmost position; and a carbon-holder adjustably mounted on the extension frame so as to move therewith, said holder having blades for securing the rear ends of carbon slips in interleaved relation with stationery led thereover.

2. A device as specified in claim 1, in which the supporting frame is provided with a rigid rearwardly extending channel-like track, and the rear end of the extension frame has a roller adapted to travel in said track and be supported thereby.

3. A device as specified in claim 1, in which urging the e'..'tension frame rearwardly; and a carbon-holder provided with downwardly extending studs adapted to engage a pair of apertures in the supporting frame, said holder having blades for securing the rear ends of carbon slips in interleaved relation with stationery strips led over said device.

5. A device as specified in claim 4, in which the front end of the extension frame is provided with transversely disposed guide rollers to engage the edge portions of the supporting frame, and a roller is provided at the rear end portion with a depending roller for engagement with a rearward extension of the supporting frame.

6. A device as specified in claim, 4, in which the front of the extension frame is provided with a hook, and a latch bar adapted to engage and hold said hook is fulcrumed in the supporting frame so that downward pressure on the front end of said bar by the stationery will release said extension frame for forward movement.

LOUIS JENSEN. 

